Cuisenaire Strips for School Maths Lab

Quick Answer: Cuisenaire Strips for School Maths Lab are colour-coded strips in which each length stands for a whole number, based on the Cuisenaire idea of lengths from one to ten units, each with its own colour. Children compare and combine cuisenaire strips to explore number bonds, fractions and ratio without counting individual objects.

Numbers as Lengths

In the Cuisenaire approach, a number is a length rather than a collection. The shortest piece is one unit, the next two units, and so on up to ten, and each length has its own colour so children learn to recognise a piece without measuring it. Putting two pieces end to end and finding a single piece of the same length is addition; finding which piece fills the gap beside a longer one is subtraction.

Number bonds come out of this naturally. Children find every pair of pieces that matches the ten-unit length and record them, then every trio, and see that 3 + 7 and 7 + 3 make the same train. Laying several equal pieces along a longer one introduces multiplication and factors: two fives or five twos match ten, but no combination of threes does.

The strongest use is with fractions and ratio, because the pieces can stand for any value. If the ten-unit piece is called one whole, the five-unit piece is a half and the two-unit piece a fifth; if the six-unit piece is called one, the two-unit piece is a third. Comparing two pieces gives a ratio, such as 2 : 3. The strip sizes, colours and quantity in this set should be confirmed before ordering.

Applications

• Addition and subtraction trains and number bonds to ten
• Multiplication and factors by matching equal pieces
• Fractions by choosing which piece stands for one whole
• Ratio and proportion by comparing lengths
• Even and odd numbers by matching with the two-unit piece

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Sort the strips back by length after use so the set is ready for the next class.
• Store strips flat in their tray to prevent bending.
• Wipe with a damp cloth and dry before storing.

Why Choose LabEquip

Primary teachers and schools following activity-based number programmes buy Cuisenaire materials for group work on number relationships. LabEquip lists these strips in the Mathematics School Lab Products range, and the Beads with String set complements them for counting routines; send class numbers through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the strips used for?

For exploring number relationships through length: addition and subtraction trains, number bonds, multiplication and factors, fractions and ratio. Because each number is a length, children reason about sizes rather than counting objects one by one.

How do the strips teach fractions?

Choose one strip as the whole and find which smaller strips fit along it exactly. If the ten-unit strip is the whole, two five-unit strips fit, so each is a half; five two-unit strips fit, so each is a fifth. Changing the whole changes the fraction each strip represents.

Why does each length have its own colour?

Colour lets children identify a length at a glance, so they can think about relationships, such as ‘two of these make one of those’, without measuring every time. With practice, the colours become a shorthand for the numbers.

How are number bonds shown?

Lay the ten-unit strip down and find pairs of shorter strips that make the same length when placed end to end. Recording every pair gives the complete set of bonds to ten.

What is the difference between these strips and base-ten blocks?

The strips have a separate length for each number from one to ten and suit number relationships, fractions and ratio. Base-ten blocks have only units, tens, hundreds and thousands, and are designed for place value and regrouping.

Can the strips be used for ratio?

Yes. Place two strips side by side and find the smallest strip that measures both exactly. A two-unit and a three-unit strip compare as 2 : 3; a four-unit and a six-unit strip give the same ratio, which introduces equivalent ratios.

Last Updated: September 2026